Hang a picture onto tough, hard concrete walls in Hong Kong

Being a DIY enthusiast in my native United States, I thought putting up pictures here would be a cinch. However, nails didn't even leave a dent and I broke a drill bit when I tried a drill. Any tips?

While the majority of walls in American homes comprise plasterboard and timber studs, in Hong Kong walls are constructed in cement reinforced by steel bars. Domestic Black & Decker style drills won't penetrate these walls - you need to invest in a heavy duty model which can accommodate an SDS masonry drill bit with full hammer action.

Although these drills are designed for industrial use, you can buy an attachment that accommodates regular drill bits so you can use it on regular steel or timber! Once the holes are drilled you will need to insert plastic Rawplugs and screws in the same size as the drill bit.

With lighter pictures you can use hammer in hooks available from any hardware store. They are white plastic hooks with three small nails attached and the key to hammering them in is to hit all three nails at the same time.

For heavy items, such as an antique mirror, you will need a coach bolt - a stud bolt, with a nut on the end which when tightened, expands to grip the inside of a hole.

Drills can be purchased from Luen Fat Electrical Engineering, 84A Thomson Road, Wan Chai (tel: 2893 1935).

All hardware is available from Wing Lee Hardware, 154 Wellington Street, Central (tel: 2544 2345).

What Drill Do You Need for Hong Kong Concrete Walls?

Let me be blunt about this: a standard cordless drill from the supermarket will not work on Hong Kong walls. I have seen countless snapped drill bits and burned-out motors from people who tried. What you need is an SDS-Plus rotary hammer drill with a proper hammer action. The SDS chuck system allows the bit to move back and forth while spinning, which is the only way to get through reinforced concrete.

For occasional home use, a Bosch GBH 2-26 or Makita HR2470 are both solid choices. You can pick these up from Luen Fat Electrical Engineering on Thomson Road in Wan Chai for around HK$800-$1,200. They are not cheap, but they will last you years and you can use them with a standard chuck adapter for regular drilling into wood or metal as well.

Here is what you will need in your toolkit for hanging pictures on concrete:

• SDS-Plus hammer drill — HK$800-$1,200 for a decent branded model
• SDS masonry drill bits — Get a set with 6mm, 8mm, and 10mm sizes (HK$40-$80 for a set of three)
• Rawlplugs (wall plugs) — Match the size to your drill bit. A box of 100 costs around HK$15-$25
• Screws — Zinc-plated countersunk screws in the same gauge as your Rawlplugs
• Spirit level — Essential unless you want crooked pictures. A small torpedo level costs about HK$30
• Pencil and masking tape — Mark your drill points and use tape to catch concrete dust

One tip that saves a lot of mess: stick a folded Post-it note or an envelope to the wall just below where you are drilling, with the fold creating a little shelf. It catches most of the concrete dust and saves you vacuuming afterwards.

How Do You Hang Heavy Items on Concrete Without Cracking?

The technique matters as much as the tools. When drilling into Hong Kong's reinforced concrete, always start with a smaller pilot hole before going to your final size. If you go straight in with a 10mm bit, you risk cracking the plaster surface or — worse — hitting a steel rebar and jamming your drill.

For lightweight pictures (under 3kg), those white plastic hammer-in hooks with three small nails work perfectly well. The trick is to hit all three nails simultaneously with firm, confident strikes. Hesitant tapping just bends them.

For medium-weight items (3-10kg), standard Rawlplugs and screws are your best bet. Drill your hole about 5mm deeper than the plug length, push in the Rawlplug, then drive the screw in leaving about 5mm protruding for the picture wire.

For heavy items like large mirrors or wall-mounted shelving, coach bolts (also called expansion anchors) are essential. These expand inside the concrete as you tighten the nut, creating an incredibly strong fixing point. A single coach bolt in solid concrete can support 50kg or more.

Another option worth considering for older buildings is a picture rail. Many pre-war and 1960s buildings in Mid-Levels and the Peak already have picture rails fitted near the ceiling. If yours does not, you can install one with a few well-placed concrete fixings and then hang pictures from wires hooked over the rail. This means you only drill once and can rearrange pictures as much as you like without making new holes. A timber picture rail costs around HK$15-$25 per foot from Hop Sze Timber on Lockhart Road in Wan Chai.

If you are dealing with security concerns around your front door, the same SDS drill and concrete fixings are what you need for fitting deadbolts and security chains into concrete door frames.

When Should You Call a Professional?

If you need to hang something very heavy — a wall-mounted television, a large bookshelf, or anything over about 20kg — I would strongly recommend getting a professional in. The risk is not just the item falling; it is the concrete chunk that comes with it. Older buildings in Hong Kong sometimes have hollow spots or crumbling concrete behind the plaster, and only experience tells you when a fixing point feels wrong.

You should also call a professional if you hit rebar while drilling. Steel reinforcement bars are typically 10-16mm diameter, and if your drill bit strikes one, stop immediately. Drilling through rebar weakens the building's structural integrity and is something you should never do. A professional will know how to reposition the fixing point or use alternative mounting methods.

For more interior projects and tips, browse our full collection of interior repair guides.

Last updated: March 2026